Seabourn-cruises should try Regent!

This was about 2 years ago on Regent. We like to sleep with the balcony door open, weather permitting. We were doing this and someone came to the door at 2:30 in the morning asking for us to close our door. It shows up on their screen. Well, we did and reopened them a few days later and someone asked us again to close them but they asked us in the middle of the day. Way nicer than at 2:30 in the morning. It still bugs me that they asked us at 2:30 in the morning to do this - couldn’t wait until the next day??

I don’t know why a door open should show up on their screen but it does and it’s fine that the door should be closed, but don’t come pounding on the door at 2:30 am! Really very rude....

Thanks, Wripro.

One reason I am looking forward to the crossing in QG is consistency. I admit I like it and I don’t like surprises that I don’t like when I am paying Seabourn prices. The change - or rather the dumbing down - of wine service in the Sojourn’s MDR less than a third of the way through our cruise (and without explanation) was disturbing.

Seabourn has to get this. They have to understand their customers and never ever take them for granted. If this is down to head office nonsense or (less likely) the waves of staff they had ro recruit and train for this doubling of capacity in a short time, well, that is their problem. Just get it right!

Like you, I cruised with QE2 plenty. One great thing about the old girl was you always knew lots of staff and they were loyal to the line. Like family. It was consistent and spontaneity that I recall fondly. And of course apart from the much Caronia there was “one” Cunard. Now things there are different with 3 ships. And relative to QE2 QM2 is much larger and less “homely gemutlich” but does offer great quality of service, including sommelier service in the QG restaurant. That’s what I choose to pay for.

Happy and healthy sailing!

And still people demand an apology from someone calling certain regular posters on this forum “a bit snobbish” lol. You all just proved her point.

As the newbie here, I have high hopes for Seabourn. All I want is relaxed, casual luxury, good friendly service, great staterooms wonderful food. Not too pretentious, not glitzy. That's what bothers me about the newest Regent ship, it just seems all too much, and now all the other ships have been redecorated to heighten the deluxe feel. I have very much enjoyed all of the current Regent ships, and have always observed that the clientele is generally very comfortable in their skin. We did an Azamara Med trip in 2016 and it filled the bill very well, and we got along very well with the passengers, many of whom were British.

My favourite ship, by the way, is the Paul Gauguin. If anyone here has been on that ship since it left the RSSC fleet, it has done bothing but improve. It's an old ship now, but maintained very well with the friendliest staff at sea.

One reason I am looking forward to the crossing in QG is consistency. I admit I like it and I don’t like surprises that I don’t like when I am paying Seabourn prices. The change - or rather the dumbing down - of wine service in the Sojourn’s MDR less than a third of the way through our cruise (and without explanation) was disturbing.

 

Seabourn has to get this. They have to understand their customers and never ever take them for granted. If this is down to head office nonsense or (less likely) the waves of staff they had ro recruit and train for this doubling of capacity in a short time, well, that is their problem. Just get it right!

 

 

 

Markham, couldn't agree more. Consistency is what repeat customers look for or an improvement. What irked us on the Cape Town - Singapore run was the change without any communication. Virtually treating guests with contempt. We didn't know what the heck was going on with wait staff running around madly, constantly apologising, wine spills all over the table cloth. Then to go to the Colonnade and TK Grill and wine service was as per "normal". It had us scratching out heads.

 

Wendy, we are back on the Paul Gauguin for the 6th time in August to the Marquesas. Yes, same itinerary, but as you say some of the best staff on the seas, sitting on the back deck with a cocktail watching the sunset and looking for the green flash, brilliant surrounds and above all - a HOLIDAY, not a TRIP. What's not to love? They do have a strategic advantage though (a) one of the most beautiful parts of the world; and (b) they've been doing it for so long they don't have to change - people know the product, know the ship...consistency... not much more to be said. The only thing will we will miss is Siglo (long time resident band which has moved on).

Thank you BasandSyb.

One of the most valuable aspects of Cruisecritic is that people of like and different minds can come together and share ideas in a constructive manner.

I hope that some of what we see here is evaluated and acted upon by the head offices of these cruise lines. After all, we do have choices- from checking out and sailing other lines, to returning to old “reliables” and to not cruising as much or at all. Have you heard about “land cruises” where you spend a week at fine country hotels which offer with diversions nearby and then move to another? You can get something of a cruise experience with far fewer people around you and often at a much lower price.

... and so that’s the rub. Seabourn can command high prices and I am happy enough to pay them, provided that they deliver a sophisticated, consistent and predictable service. This MDR wine service dumbing down (which they call Project SMART, by the way) has harmed the brand recklessly.

Happy and healthy sailing!

We got consistency and were taken care of by loyal crew on Seabourn when the triplets were the best things at sea

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For those of us who remember when Seabourn consisted of the 3 little sisters, there has been a huge change over not that many years, from (roughly) 600 passengers in total to 1350 and now to 2250 this year. It was bound to change the way the line worked for all of us, and obviously to the detriment of the long standing passengers. Not quite so much of the personal touch. I am glad to say that we still always find staff members we have met and liked before, and who at least seem to remember us.

If Seabourn will stop growing, and consolidate what remains a very good line, things will get more consistent - I hope. I agree that deliberately not informing passengers of changes, like the new way of wine service in the dining room, is bad, and to my mind rather indicative of the attitude of the management team nowadays.

Regarding someone's comment on passenger 'types', as comparing Regent with Seabourn, this is a difficult one. Generally on the shorter Seabourn cruises you will come across younger, still working, people, who cannot afford to take much time off, and the possibly more relaxed older retired ones who have time to take the longer cruises which are not available as short back to backs.

P.S. 2250 should be 2550.

We got consistency and were taken care of by loyal crew on Seabourn when the triplets were the best things at sea

 

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Ditto J

 

 

Wendy, we are back on the Paul Gauguin for the 6th time in August to the Marquesas. Yes, same itinerary, but as you say some of the best staff on the seas, sitting on the back deck with a cocktail watching the sunset and looking for the green flash, brilliant surrounds and above all - a HOLIDAY, not a TRIP. What's not to love? They do have a strategic advantage though (a) one of the most beautiful parts of the world; and (b) they've been doing it for so long they don't have to change - people know the product, know the ship...consistency... not much more to be said. The only thing will we will miss is Siglo (long time resident band which has moved on).

Lucky you! We just had our sixth last October. I would definitely rate the Marquesas itinerary at the top. Good luck with the green flash--we saw one sailing over the very deep glass-like waters between the two archipelagoes. We miss Siglo too--I follow them a bit, they are on NCL I believe. The band on the PG now, at least the one we had, was pretty good really.

There have been several references in this thread to changes or "dumbing down" of the wine service in the Restaurant. We did not experience such on our Quest cruise in the UK last August. Perhaps I missed that discussion on this CC board. Would someone be so kind as to direct me to that discussion or, alternatively, describe the changes that a number of posters perceive as negative. Thanks for the kind help.

Freddie,

The dumbing down started this year and on Sojourn it was on 11 February, 2018, if memory serves me. That was in Cape Town. (If you want to see the “excitement” as it unfolded, read the Cape Town to Singapore thread).

This dumbing down (my term) relates to Project SMART, something foisted upon the ships by head office and without explanation to Seabourn guests. Only if you were to ask at the highest levels of the hotel management or you are friendly enough with service staff might you glean some clues about it.

Apparently, the idea is for MDR waiters to handle the roles of the former assistant sommeliers so that guests don’t have to ask different people for food and wine service. Fine on the service until you witness what we did: waiters don’t know the wines to compare and discuss them, don’t know the supply they can offer, don’t know how to serve wine generally, and don’t want to do it - on top of everything else they already do - with and for a disgruntled bunch of guests. What is obviously lost is the relaxed and sophisticated flow that the former assistant sommeliers delivered. And for that?

The project also apparently extends to the Club and Observation Bar, making waiters into bar waiters even though they don’t know mixed drinks and they struggle to make note of guests’ requested custom or nonstandard drinks. This irks the bartender who won’t be able to get the drink orders right and obviously frustrates guests. It’s another example of a wasteful and unnecessary impediment to the former bar service. And for what?

So maybe “dumbing down” is how this project describes the slapdash MDR wine service. In constrast, I can only describe the impact on the bar service as disrupting it - as if mixed drinks are already too complicated to deliver and so less attention can be paid to the service.

Bottom line: To me, and in respect of these 2 areas of the ship’s beverage service, the project means to simplify delivery of the product, irrespective of what the market i.e. you and I desire. The whole badly-conceived and poorly-executed concept smacks of undue influence by bean counters - and surely not of the Seabourn I knew when luxury was first and foremost paramount. It ain’t that long ago; for the MDR wine and bar service in the Club and Observation Bar on Sojourn it was as recent as this past January, and before 10 February, 2018.

Happy and healthy sailing!

This is not a reason - this is a fact!

It most certainly is not a fact that Regent is better than Seabourn

Re the changes to the wine service in the MDR, I do hope that Markham and others who experienced this, and did not like it, have in addition to posting here sent their comments to head office, via email or postal mail. If enough people who experienced this change and did not like it voice their views to HQ, and they are known as repeat passengers, hopefully someone will listen.

I urge this out of "enlightened self-interest" as we enjoyed our wine service on our first SB cruise last December, and have booked another SB cruise in October. Frankly, I am hopeful that if enough "regulars" make their views known to SB executives, they may undo the changes--before I sail again! :) Otherwise, I am not looking forward to the (as described) "dumbing down" of the wine service.

I'm with Markham on this one. I am just off Sojourn (Singapore - Bali ) I had to stop wait staff pouring the wrong wine into my glass a number of times.

Bring back the old system please (and yes, I will be making my feelings known in my survey answers ! )

Fellow Seabourn sailors, rest assured that I have made my views known.

The first time was on board to the HD in person and in writing and next on the mid-cruise survey to the Customer Services Manager at Seabourn Square.

When I returned home I completed the post-cruise survey and heard back via email from Guest Relations, Seattle. As I was not satisfied with the response I went straight back via email and then heard from a special advisor to the president. I also emailed Rick Meadows.

Lastly, I sounded off to my TA who, due to the scope of his sales, is hopefully very influential with Seabourn Marketing for followup.

My sense is that Seabourn is like many other companies that have grown large in a short time without necessarily appreciating the consequences. In this case the customers are the victims of some thoughtless directive from some hotel management bureaucrat with a hotel bureaucracy background. How so? When I read that Customer Service will share feedback with the management team but have no direct control over operations, I see that they don’t necessarily understand what we are saying, what it means to us as their most loyal and resourceful customers, and that they are just too distant. Obviously, the company needs a very strong president or the like to communicate, moderate and impose order, no one benefits.

With all of this hubbub I would have expected Rick Meadows to visit the Sojourn. Would this have been too much to expect and ask?

When I was on board I heard that Project SMART was being rolled out on Encore next/now and then Ovation for its opening. Quest and Odyssey probably follow. When I scoffed that this project would have to succeed so well that no one notices the ultimate service changes or that it fails miserably and is abondoned, Due to lack of tangibles from Seabourn’s feedback, I get the impression that Seabourn has not even prepared for the possible failure of Project SMART. So no plan B? Seems incredible, doesn’t it.

We are next on Seabourn this November for the Odyssey’s crossing. I hope for some clarity and a lot of improvement is service then! Bring back the assistant sommelier specialization. Bring back proper drinks waiters in the bars!

Happy and healthy sailing!

The Seattle representative sent to Sojourn to oversee the wine service transition is Kelly Schaefer , he’s in charge of the wine department from what I gathered from my conversation with him. He’s not the one who made the decision, he’s just trying to help implement it and make it work better. He was on the ship briefly in Capetown, but now he’s returned.

I understand the Seabourn POV, and I did my best to descriibe the concerns as eloquently expressed by Markham. They are looking at efficiency from what I was told. Most passengers drink one of the two wines offered nightly. The wait staff can most effectively offer repoars so the customer doesn’t have to wait for a sommelier.

My wine service has been satisfactory, but my needs are relatively simple.

Hopefully the service can be adjusted to be better for all concerned.

I must add that I’ve been on the nights, and I’m enjoying the ship, the crew the service and wine. Today we are being joined by the New York Wine Guys. They will be holding special wine events as we are now in Darwin Australia. I like that Seabourn brings local wines aboard, as the did in South Africa ...

Kevnzworld,

First and foremost I am glad that you two are enjoying the cruise. It seems to me like a long time ago that we disembarked in Singapore. You had another month or so to Hong Kong and very some interesting ports to explore.

I agree that the Sojourn affords a fine luxury experience. It starts with the hotel manager, Stefan, who is a superb professional. And the ship is great shape- apart from the decking on 8 around the jacuzzis. There’s gotta be a big leak somewhere that upends all those repair efforts!

About this project and Kelly, to me this is all rather embarrassing. it is a shame that Seabourn management in Seattle did not think through the “what’s in it for the guests” while they were thinking of the “efficiencies” they wanted for themselves. Sure, they may say many passengers want pours from the same server as their MDR meal and/or that many passengers only choose, know, want or prefer one or two wines from the complimentary wine list.

Honestly, doesn’t this sound like someone describing a mass market “stack ‘em high and sell ‘em cheap” line? Who are they kidding? That’s partly what was behind my quip about bean counters. What has Seabourn forgotten - or worse yet - chosen to forget - about running a LUXURY cruise line? For goodness sake, Seabourn is meant to give the sort of personalized resort experience where there are enough well trained staff to cater to premium passengers’ interests, including introducing them to new and alternative complimentary and food-complementary wines. And supporting their bartenders with clear and precise guest orders for cocktails that they can mix and deliver with full confidence?

For now, I encourage those of you who cruise this year to make your views known to Seattle management and your TAs. It’s your cruise and your cruise fares, whether on Seabourn or elsewhere that make you center stage in this conversation.

Happy and healthy sailing!

What did you expect when HAL took over management of SB? Three years later you are beginning to notice?

It's still the best for most of us though

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Whenever a company changes policy and states it's for the convenience of "our guests" you can bet your bottom dollar what they mean is that it's for the convenience of their bottom line.

Yes, we have provided our comments on board to Stefan and Antonio (they are extremely responsive and a credit to Seabourn) as well as up the food chain with feedback and direct emails.

As mentioned in other posts we do try the evening's offerings, but on every cruise to date have settled with something in particular which we drink every night.

The new system means the waitstaff end up running around after us leaving the floor to source product. So on the Cape Town - Singapore cruise we ended up sitting in the same location in the MDR to ensure this was minimised and they could plan for it (letting them know prior where we would be dining). Unfortunately, as also mentioned in other posts the bean counters seem to have created a wine "safe" with only one key, releasing single bottles at a time. This is also crazy and just increases the workload for staff chasing down the key and extra wine. Seriously, the cost of all the running around would far outweigh the $5 wine we were drinking. Colonnade presented the same issues, only the wine staff did the running.

It does seem to be yet another slippery slope for diminishing product. If we were serious we would do what disgruntled consumers do and simply vote with out feet. Problem is, who else would we choose? Our deposits are paid for the next Seabourn cruise. :o

I empathize about the “where to go” question. We have 3 future Seabourn cruises booked but have just booked a long QM2 cruise in Queens Grill thereafter. Yes, it is a very different product BUT we know exactly what we will be getting. The staterooms are truly luxurious and well proportioned. The QG restaurant food is fabulous, and the service is distinguished and generous. No secret dumbing down projects, no running around nonsense, no stress for passengers and wait staff, no consolidations or compromises, and no trickery about as to what is available. In a word: consistency!

What else is out there? We shall see, and why not? We tried Silversea Whisper last October where the cabins were fine, the MDR food was very good indeed as was the service. But the ship is very tired, layout underwhelming and social life flat.

I hope Seabourn stops this nonsense and gets back to the basics. That means sommeliers suggesting and pouring wines passengers select, rather than steering them towards the “wine of the day”. Seabourn passengers know better. And we won’t be hustled or “directed” as if we were inmates in a secure old age home. Just think about it: that’s where these bean counters belong, if they truly believe they are enhancing the Seabourn luxury brand rather than cheapening it. Aarrgghh!

We do have choices. We all need to establish our own plan B.

Happy and healthy sailing!

Enjoy your sevruga in QG. Looking forward to reading your comments after this trip. For whatever reason, I find the best value in PG. My fault for failing read the fine print that mentioned separate shower/bath only in the upper tier of QG cabins and the part where I had to fork over $$ to maître d' to secure a decent table. Happy to have had the experience, but once was enough.

We also tried the Queens Grill on Cunard.Liked the menu but

1 Same table for whole cruise.The adjacent table was very close.Fortunately the folk sitting there were fine but its pot luck.Did ask for a better table but as I did not "flash the cash" zero response.

2 At the end of Cruise all the staff lined up for their tips.Happy to recognize good service but it was all slightly grubby from this brits perspective.

3 Hated the 3 class ship concept.They may not call it First ,second and steerage anymore but that's what it is.Putting your gold room card into the slot in a lift full of people to access the QG deck was an embarrassment.

4 Too many people on board and lacked the friendly vibe of Seabourn.

We will stick with Seabourn but I hope this new wine serving concept is ditched quickly and certainly by the time we join Quest later in the year.